Pardee Dam is a 345 foot-high structure across the Mokelumne River which marks the boundary between Amador and Calaveras Counties, in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada approximately about 30 miles (48 km) northeast of Stockton.

The impounded water forms Pardee Reservoir, the primary source of water for the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) in the San Francisco Bay Area. The reservoir normally covers 3 sq mi (7.8 km2) with a 215,000 acre·ft (265,000 dam³) capacity. The water is transported from Pardee Reservoir across the Central Valley via three large steel pipe aqueducts to several storage reservoirs located in the hills east of San Francisco Bay which supply drinking water to the East Bay region. The water is also used to generate electric power and for recreation.